The present invention relates to a bomblet projectile having an unwindable stabilization band arrangement fastened to the rear of the projectile for stabilizing the flight position of the projectile while falling.
Such a bomblet projectile is disclosed, for example, in German Offenlegungsschrift 3,506,226. The stabilization band arrangement disclosed therein may be a single stabilization band in the form of a simple loop, or it may include perpendicularly crossing stabilization band loops. In either case the band or bands are wound up and their ends fastened to the fuse housing of the bomblet projectile. Each band has a constant width over its entire length. It is a drawback of this arrangement that when the projectile is deployed and the band unwinds, it is able to effect only a slight deceleration of the fall of the projectile and a slight stabilization of the flight position (attitude) since, in its forward region adjacent the fuse housing, the band is exposed to a considerable air stream which presses the band inwardly, preventing it from properly unfolding (opening) which causes it to flutter and possibly interfere with the detonating and activating mechanism which must be enabled during the falling phase.
Prior art stabilization bands of uniform width therefore do not provide good stabilization of the projectile's position. The fluttering of the band has the result that the decelerating (pull-back) force is not constant and undesirable transverse forces are generated. Consequently, the flight behavior of the bomblet is unsatisfactory.
Submunition of artillery projectiles, such as bomblets, must be decelerated and stabilized after deployment (ejection) in order to realize the desired effect in the target. The bomblets should hit the target perpendicularly with their shaped charge cone pointed downward. The more the flight position of the bomblet is inclined to the vertical at the point of impact, the greater is the chance of it failing to detonate.